This was published 13 years ago
The Beach House, Gerroa review: Seven miles of solitude
Unspoilt vista . . . The Beach House's floor-to-ceiling windows face the water.
For those who like their beaches uncrowded, this long, lonely stretch is a winner in winter, writes Scott Ellis.
THERE'S a lot to be said for a beach holiday in winter. And No. 1 on that list has to be that, finally, after months of threading your way through thousands of sun worshippers, lobster-red tourists and families desperate to get out of the house, you can enjoy the sand by yourself.
There's still the occasional beachcomber wandering about and surfers who wouldn't stay out of the water even if an iceberg covered in sharks floated past, but winter is the time to take in the beauty of the coastline. And there are few better stretches of coast than the Seven Mile Beach National Park.
Connecting Gerroa with Shoalhaven Heads to the south, the beach has the Pacific on one side and pristine scrub on the other. For anyone used to the concreted-in playpen that is Bondi, it's an awesome sight. This is where Kingsford Smith took off in the Southern Cross for the first commercial flight to New Zealand in 1933. If a filmmaker wanted to re-create the event, all they'd have to do is drop a plane on the sand. Little else seems to have changed.
Best of all, if you plan things right, you can enjoy the wilds and some luxury at the same time.
Gerroa, just two hours south of Sydney, is roughing-it-lite.
What was once a weekender's retreat of shacks and caravans is now an upmarket holiday town with fine dining, where beautifully maintained beachfront properties change hands for more than $1 million and it's possible to get a latte just metres from the breakers.
The Beach House is one of the aforementioned million-dollar properties. Sited right where the Crooked River meets the sea and separated from the waters by just a footpath and single-lane road, this is about as close as you can get to beachfront without getting sand in the carpet.
Renovated to include three large bedrooms (one king, one queen and two single beds respectively), a couple of separate relaxing areas, a formal dining room and comfortable lounge, The Beach House's defining feature is floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea.
From the main bed, the sofas or even the table (both sides, thanks to a large mirror), it's easy to relax and watch the waves crash on the beach under a cloudy sky. The decor is modern Pottery Barn, leaning toward seashells, lighthouses, boats and pretty much anything else with a seafaring theme.
The real deal outside the windows more than makes up for the Popeye interior, however.
There's a bottle of wine and an unlit fire waiting for us when we arrive so we settle in to watch a beach go about its business: ships cruise past, ducks drop in to visit gulls, a couple of surfers wander by and a lost-looking hipster sits in a lotus position facing New Zealand, no doubt contemplating the exchange rate.
The silence of a winter beach is enough by itself; walking along the sand when we tear ourselves off the couch, we lose track of time. Later, the sound of crashing waves helps everyone drift off to sleep. Fortunately, whoever redesigned The Beach House had enough sense to include blockout shutters (in the main bedroom), because those east-facing windows would otherwise have you awake at dawn.
The nearby Seahaven Cafe offers all the usual breakfast staples and a barista so, once refuelled, we head off to explore the surrounds.
On the beach, everything has changed since the tide came and went. There's a new range of animals, weeds and bottles washed up to poke at. Even the surfers have yet to show up.
Gerroa still has steadfast locals clinging to a life the rest of the country envies and anyone you see actually stops to say hello. After mumbling, "Sorry, I haven't got any change," a few times, it starts to sink in they're actually just saying hello. How novel!
Gerringong, just up the road, is similar, except for a real estate office that's as crowded as the cafe.
However, it's the peace and quiet that pulls you to Gerroa, so that lonely stretch of sand is hard to resist.
It might be cold but the only screeching to be heard anywhere are a few lonely gulls. In summer, they'd be cruising overhead, watching for a dropped chip, but in the off-season they're back to doing what they've been doing since Smithy took off. And like the lucky locals and visitors smart enough to ignore the weather, that's pretty much bugger all.
Trip notes
Where
The Beach House, 31 Burke Parade, Gerroa. (02) 4234 2065, southcoastholidays.com.au
Getting there
Just after Sutherland, the Princes Highway turns into the F6 freeway, then near Shellharbour it turns into the Princes Highway again. Follow it past Kiama until you see the sign for Gerringong, then to Gerroa.
How much
$275-$400 a night.
Style statement
Relaxed, homey, heavy on the nautical.
Perfect for
Couples, families or a couple of families. Providing you're all good friends.
Take the kids?
By all means. The beach is an easy shout away, there's kayaking on the river out front, a cupboard of board games and a fenced-in yard.
Shame about
No heating aside from the fireplace — thank God for the electric blankets.
Kudos
The owners, for managing to walk the fine line between guesthouse and their house. It's homey and inviting without looking like you can't touch anything. You get the impression they've just stepped out for a minute and forgot to leave a note saying: "Gone fishing, the place is yours, use whatever you want, we'll be back for a drink later!"
Don't forget
Spare clothes for the kids. It might be cold but they're still going in that water.
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